What is more important, animal rights or human rights? I am puzzled by the ethics of our ABC television bosses, the Australian Government, the Greens politicians and the public generally.
They are so concerned about the welfare of our exported livestock that they want to ban that export trade long enough to all but kill the trade and definitely kill some of the businesses involved (and a few more farming families in the process).
At the same time they condone the import of fresh produce and many manufactured goods that are produced in South and South East Asia by people working under the most horrendous working conditions.
What serious breaches of human rights and welfare are carried out in those countries to fill our supermarket shelves with products that our producers cannot possibly compete with? Are we to believe that the ABC and its viewers, the Federal and some State Governments condone child labour, horrendous working hours, poor working conditions, shockingly low wages, uncontrolled use and excessive application of dangerous chemicals to crops and in manufactured products – all issues endemic to those regions?
Surely, an ethical person so concerned about animal welfare should be very concerned about human welfare. So why is the Government imposing an export ban when it does not impose import bans from countries and organisations guilty of serious breaches of human rights? Perhaps Lyn White, the Greens and the ABC should get their priorities right.
Bob Johnson,
Stanthorpe
